Aircraft
In the alternate worlds of Muv-Luv Unlimited/Alternative, Tactical Surface Fighters are only the tip of the spear of humanity's fighting force, with support vehicles and craft agumenting the deadliness of TSFs on the field either directly or indirectly. Aircraft, while nearly rendered obsolete during the initial introduction of the Laser-class BETA, did not entirely die out. While fighter craft have made the transition to TSFs, many large-scale aircraft remain; these aircraft serve entirely different roles in combat, and their continued existence is a testament to the importance of air superiority; from mass transportation to large-scale surpression bombing, no amount of risk from the ground can be balanced against the advantages aircraft provide. Fixed-Wing Transport Aircraft Despite the threat of Laser-class BETA, transport aircraft remain an important part of every world's military; the possibilities afforded by large-scale transportation of materials via air, without the obstructions, delays, dangers or just sheer time that a land or sea routemight require, is enough incentive for these aerial behemoths to remain. American Transport Aircraft *C-5 Galaxy :: A large-scale transport aircraft built by Lockweed Corporation for the US military, built to ferry supplies and heavy machinery over long distances. The new Type-94s for A-01 were delivered via C-5 transports to Yokohama. Soviet Transport Aircraft *An-124 Руслан (Ruslan) :: An earlier model of transport aircraft preceeding the later An-225, the An-124 is used by the Soviet Union to transport large amounts of supplies to areas that need them. *An-225 Мрія (Mriya) :: A massive aerial transport craft, the An-225 currently holds the world's record for being able to carry the most cargo. Built by the Soviet Union and exported to willing customers all over the world, the An-225 has built a reputation for itself in its area of expertise, especially as a long-ranged airborne transport of TSFs. :: Several were used by Sagiri Naoya during the 12/5 Incident in a daring maneuver to airdrop his troops straight into the combat zone. :: :: Helicopters Perhaps less affected by the Heavy Laser-class due to their similar capabilities to TSFs, helicopters are nonetheless under threat by the smaller Laser-class in the immediate area of a battlezone, which can aim higher and shoot faster. Nevertheless, the airborne firepower an attack helicopter squadron can bring is no laughing matter, and helicopter transports, for example, allow for insertion of supplies in hard-to-reach areas without having to expose larger transport aircraft to the ridiculously long-ranged Heavy Laser-class BETA. American Helicopters *AH-64D Apache Longbow :: A modern all-weather multi-environment attack helicopter, the Apache Longbow is equipped with the latest in ground-attack avionics and sensors, as well as an impressive air-to-ground payload. The Apache Longbow is in heavy use with both the US Army and UN forces as their main option in close air support firepower. *MH-53 Pave Low :: A multipurpose helicopter, many of these are also used for data gathering during TSF combat trials and can be found around military bases worldwide housing the latest in information aquisition equipment. *V-22 Osprey :: A tiltrotor helicopter with the capability to function both as a VTOL craft for quick takeoffs and a turboprop aircraft for excellent cruising flight performance. These attributes, usually found on different aircraft, affords the Osprey many more options than any single aircraft of its class and size. Soviet Helicopters *Ka-50 Чёрная акула (Chornaya Akula) :: The Ka-50 Black Shark, known to NATO forces as the Hokum, is an advanced Soviet attack helicopter boasting an impressive amount of firepower and maneuverability in combat. *Mi-24 Mk. III :: An improved variant of the original Mi-24, the Mi-24 Mk. III boasts improved engines, systems and increased attack power. *Mi-8MT :: An early multipurpose helicopter, the Mi-8MT is an upgraded variant of the original Mi-8 that can be adapted for a wide variety of roles. *Mi-26 :: Known to NATO forces as the Halo, the Mi-26 is the world's most powerful helicopter, originally produced by the Soviet Union for military purposes. Bombers Ranging from precision strike on heavy targets to mass eradication of formations, bombers are a rarely-seen but still very much alive aspect of aerial-based warfare. With the capability to deliver enhanced munitions in numbers or with speed that even TSFs will find hard trying to match, all that a bomber needs is laser-free airspace. American Bombers *B-52 Stratofortress :: Extremely long-range subsonic bomber, this veteran aircraft from the immediate post-World War II era has undergone heavy refitting to be able to once again serve the US military. *B-1B Lancer :: Modern bomber aircraft of the US military, the A-variant never entered production and was supersceded by the B-variant upon approval for service. Capable of a wide variety of warheads, bombs and other munitions, the speed, agility and firepower of the Lancer is not to be underestimated. Soviet Bombers *Tu-22 :: Known to NATO forces as the Blinder, the Tu-22 was an early and ambitious attempt at a supersonic bomber, lacking the fuel range and firepower that was expected of it. *Tu-22M :: Known to NATO as the Backfire, the Tu-22M is a reworked variant of the Tu-22 with very little resemblance to the original craft. A swing-wing design allows for improved flight handling and range. *Tu-95 :: Known to NATO as the Bear, this long-range subsonic carpet bomber was developed sometime after World War II. The BETA invasion saw it being sent into combat despite its age. Gallery 347951A4.png|Apache Longbows chasing a target. 593A0C64.png|A squadron of Apaches during a night attack. Category:Alternative Category:Total Eclipse Category:Hardware and Technology in Muv Luv Category:The Day After